Disagreement with a Pricescope vendor about stones

[Tourmaline]

luvzdmb, no, those are not the color I was envisioning.

diamondseeker, the ring is a size 7.

 

[WillyDiamond]

Well, I would like to know the vendors name. You asked for a refund and they said no, so I assume they are remaking the ring for you. One of the goals of PS is to share info and vendors, I think the community should know the name of the vendor so that the community can decide for themselves if they want to use this vendor in the future for a similar project. We certainly post the name of the vendor when the ring comes out beautiful, why not when there is a problem. I think it also helps the vendor for the future and this post has not bashed the vendor.

 

[arkieb1]

I hope that you manage to sort it out with the vendor or you get a full refund.

 

[Tourmaline]

Thank you for the support, everyone. WillyDiamond, I can absolutely understand your desire to know who it is, and I will reveal it when it is finished. Hopefully it will be to say that he fixed his mistake in a way that was satisfactory to me.

 

[Acinom]

Hugs for you Tourmaline. I know you were so looking forward to match your beautiful transitional with a red band.
A lot can be said about the color red as it comes in many shades... but this band - while beautiful - obviously not red but pink. I hope this matter will be solved in the right manner: a refund or what you asked for in the first place: a red ruby band, not a pink sapphire band.

 

[Tourmaline]

Hugs for you Tourmaline.

Hugs back, Acinom. <3

 

[SB621]

Well for what it is worth I think you outed the vendor just by showing the box. At least I'm pretty sure I recognize it among the hand forged vendors. They all have very distinct boxes and only 1 uses something similar to the one you pictured.

But regardless of vendor I just wanted to chime in and commiserate over your eternity. I have learned through several custom projects to never assume anything and have everything in writing or on the work order. In most cases the vendors are usually still pretty good about correcting mistakes (even when they are mine!!!!). I really hope the 2nd version is more in line with your color vision though I think it will be hard to find red melee as already stated. Have you had the conversation with your vendor about what happens if round 2 is not what you want?

 

[Tourmaline]

Thanks, SB. No, we have not discussed what happens if round 2 doesn't work out.

 

[chrono]

Thanks, SB. No, we have not discussed what happens if round 2 doesn't work out.

I second SB's suggestion. It's never to early to discuss this.

 

[Tourmaline]

He is not really willing to discuss anything. He has instructed me to wait for something he'll send to me at some point. I have followed this other thread about a mishap with the recommendation of a stone at Whiteflash:

[URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/should-i-be-upset-about-this-diamond-i-just-purchased.207505/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/should-i-be-upset-about-this-diamond-i-just-purchased.207505/[/URL]

In this situation, the vendor took responsibility, validated the concerns of the buyer, apologized and is making changes to prevent such a thing happening in the future, as well as promising to make the buyer happy. Now THAT is customer service.

The jeweler I am dealing with has not once acknowledged any wrongdoing or mistake, and it is this that caused me to lose faith in this project. We'll see.

I have not heard from him since the one time on the day I started this thread.

 

[smitcompton]

Hi,

Whiteflash, Gog, James Allen would never handle this problem this way. I see your problem as dealing with someone who doesn't know what a ruby is, let alone that he will select good ones. You can find red rubies with glass fillings or even diffused ones with good color.This vendor won't know a good ruby from a glass filled one. Actually he doesn't know the difference between a ruby and a sapphire.

I would talk to my credit card company and see about a refund. I would use the word fraud with the CC company. I just went thru something similar with autographs signed on an album. We went to the best authenticator in the US who told us they were forgeries.The vendor maintained he had 2 appraisers who said they were genuine. He refused a refund. After months the CC company ruled in our favor
and said we didn't have to even return the albums.

Annette

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Huge difference between dealing with a diamond dealer and a handforging ring designer/maker. The latter are generally artists more than marketing people. I don't excuse poor customer service and I have said more than once on this site that I no longer use one of the top ring makers due to his behavior. But I do have an understanding of why they think differently, and then I decide who I can reasonably work with!

I strongly disagree with calling this fraud. I believe this person ordered high quality ruby melee for this project, and this is what he was sent. The mistake in this was that the stones were not approved beforehand, which I think is always necessary with colored stones. When Caysie van Bebber made me a sapphire and diamond band earlier this year, she definitely sent me pics of a parcel of sapphires before making the ring since one had not been made before for me to reference color.

I do believe the ring needs to be taken back and either be remade or refunded by the maker.

 

[sarahb]

I believe this person ordered high quality ruby melee for this project, and this is what he was sent. The mistake in this was that the stones were not approved beforehand, which I think is always necessary with colored stones. When Caysie van Bebber made me a sapphire and diamond band earlier this year, she definitely sent me pics of a parcel of sapphires before making the ring since one had not been made before for me to reference color.

I do believe the ring needs to be taken back and either be remade or refunded by the maker.

Exactly my point earlier. Anyone who is in the business of 'producing' a product, must protect themselves by gaining client approval prior to production. I do this step everyday in my business. & guess what: everyone ends up being happy with the final product. It's called managing client expectations & product outcome. Business 101 in my book.

This last step was not taken due to the obvious.

& yes, WF is a true model of customer service.

 

[NonieMarie]

Huge difference between dealing with a diamond dealer and a handforging ring designer/maker. The latter are generally artists more than marketing people. I don't excuse poor customer service and I have said more than once on this site that I no longer use one of the top ring makers due to his behavior. But I do have an understanding of why they think differently, and then I decide who I can reasonably work with!

I strongly disagree with calling this fraud. I believe this person ordered high quality ruby melee for this project, and this is what he was sent. The mistake in this was that the stones were not approved beforehand, which I think is always necessary with colored stones. When Caysie van Bebber made me a sapphire and diamond band earlier this year, she definitely sent me pics of a parcel of sapphires before making the ring since one had not been made before for me to reference color.

I do believe the ring needs to be taken back and either be remade or refunded by the maker.

I agree. This is not fraud it is poor customer service. The vendor needs to swallow their pride and squash their ego. They need to keep the OP informed of the progress in finding the proper color sapphires. If an agreed upon time has past with no luck, then a refund is needed. Because this is a high end very expensive band, the vendor should be trying their best to make the OP comfortable during this search for new stones and should keep in contact on a regular basis.

 

[Tourmaline]

Update! I received an envelope in the mail that contained two samples of tiny stones (3 of each). These sample stones are smaller than the ones in the ring, so I think that means the larger ones would be more saturated? Anyway, I rejected one of the samples immediately because the clarity was a bit cloudy, and they were dark, but colder than I want. Then I spent some time with these other stones in various lighting conditions.They are more red than the stones in the ring. It's early evening here, so this photo is a bit darker than previous ones. Sorry, Kenny. These stones do not appear to be as well-cut as the pink ones, which is disappointing. Thoughts?

 

[Tourmaline]

Another one

 

[NonieMarie]

IDK, they still look pink to me, or should I say a dark fuchsia. If you like them then they will be perfect. I looked on a site that I have seen in person their blue sapphires so I know they can get high quality. Their best quality ruby melee is still described as med to dark "pink" and heat treated. I think, as others have said, the communication and expectation at the start of this project was lacking and there was going to be disappointment on both sides. I hope that a compromise will be worked out.

 

[sarahb]

Hooray for progress I think they still look like they are from the pInk family rather than the red family. JMHO.

 

[AGBF]

We all know that we cannot rely on monitors, but what I see on my monitor is three pink sapphires. The one in the middle is closer to red than the other two, but is still pink. On the other hand, when I photographed my own red stone, graded red by a reputable lab, it looked like a purple grape in my photograph.

Deb/AGBF

 

[WillyDiamond]

OP
Is the vendor saying that these are the type of stone he will use to re-make the ring? Or if you pick one "shade" he will use that shade for other stones? I am not getting a good feeling on this, I think my vote is to just return the ring, demand a refund, if he refuses, take it to your CC company. Sounds like the vendor just does not get it. Best of luck.

 

[Tourmaline]

Here's another photo, indoor lighting (obviously). This shows the first band, the sample stones for a proposed replacement band, and the color I envisioned (this is a synthetic ruby). Sigh.

 

[arkieb1]

Are they fire engine red or red with a pinkish tint in some lighting, or still mostly dark pink?

 

[luvsdmb]

Sample stones look exactly like the band. Isn't there just a little part of you that is worried if you have a new band made using one of the sample stones it's going to turn out to be exactly the same?
I think the vendor should just give you a refund. They tried, and that's great but it's still not what you want.
Sorry this is turning out to be such a nightmare.

(the band is very pretty)

 

[Tourmaline]

They are pink, but more red than the first ones (reddish pink instead of purplish pink). I feel stuck. He said no refunds. I'm going to send him my photos and thoughts and see what he comes back with.

 

[FrekeChild]

Hmmm...It's hard to get red rubies in melee sizes (how big are these?) because the saturation has to be very very high for such small stones to appear to be red rather than pink. Have you thought about going bigger?

I'm adding some pictures of my hot pink-red spinels (they kind of run a range of colors, but spinel is not plentiful or cheap enough for me to want to be super picky) that I plan to make a band out of some day. They are 2.5mm. Maybe red spinels if you're after red? I don't know, but if you're after the red color and want super clean stones, they might be an option?

It is a beautiful band....but it's pink, not red.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

I think your large stone is an excellent reference. Has he seen that one? I, too, think the new stones are still deep pink..pretty but not what you are wanting.

What size is this ring? You might be able to sell it if he won't take it back and can't find the right color.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Freke, you have some beautiful stones! It also is illustrating my lighting issue again! In that last pic, all but a few of those stones are showing pink more than red!

 

[WillyDiamond]

OP, I feel sorry for your journey on this. I would get tough with the vendor, demand my money back, if he continues to say no, tell him you are contesting with the CC company and writing a scathing review at BBB, and be done with him. You will win the CC battle.

 

[ariel144]

These are still pink, not red.
You need to get a refund. You should not have to sell this ring that is not real blood RED rubies
what you ordered.

Return the ring. They can sell it on their website. If they do not refund, then you can
go thru your CC co. to reverse the charge with proof of your return of the ring.

If he can't get real red rubies in the size you ordered then he should have told you that.

This is so ridiculous. If they still are playing hard ball you need to post the name of this vendor on this thread.

I have a bright pigeon red ruby pendant...the stones are tiny and square but definitely a deep bright red.
I don't think pidgeon red rubies will be as transparent as these stones in your ring but they will be blood red.
Earlier I suggested to use red spinels which may be an alternative.

Good luck...so sad this vendor is not agreeing to refund. Loosing a lot of credibility here on PS but they obviously could care less.

Send him this link on ebay...they do exist:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/RUBY-BLOOD-RED-NATURAL-WHITE-DIAMOND-ETERNITY-BAND-14K-GOLD-ROUND-BEZEL-SET-RING-/171520409257?pt=US_Wedding_Bands_with_Diamonds_Gemstones&hash=item27ef69bea9

 

[GeorgieQ]

These new stones look pink to me. I'd be very careful about approving any of these if you're not 100% sure or happy with the colour.
As it stands right now you ordered and paid for a ring with (pigeon blood) red rubies. The ring you received is made with pink sapphires, not red rubies as ordered and I would of thought that alone should be grounds for a full refund. These new stones are again pink, albeit slightly darker, but pink none the less. You have given him the opportunity to correct this problem by him sourcing new stones. It would seem that he is not going to be able to provide you with the coloured stones that you ordered and have paid for. His first big mistake was not sending you photos of the original stones prior to making the ring, you did not approve the original stones. His second mistake was doing this to a PSer. This vendor clearly has appalling customer service and his inability to accept responsibility for his mistake is......unbelievable. To me it's like ordering a ring with blue sapphires and being given a ring with green sapphires - just not good enough. I'd be pushing for a full refund, this vendor doesn't deserve your business.
Having said all that......if you love the colour of the new stones (they are really pretty) then yaaaay!! Here's hoping for a happy, outcome!